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One thing that you may want to ask your surgeon about is if they will numb your stomach before surgery. This was not done before my sleeve but was before revision to bypass. Huge difference in pain level.

Hey there UberMom, I get stuck and I have no restriction at all! I am keeping with my plan of only Protein and liquids. I try really hard to stay away from the bad carbs. I am not exercising and I am waiting for a total band revision. You can do this! I will keep watching for your progress! thetig

HI there! I am another band to sleeve revision. The sleeve is soooooo different. It actually works!!! It sounds like your tummy will be healed and ready for this next operation - a lot of us did the removal and sleeve at the same time. With the year of healing, I'm sure your tummy is more than ready for the change. It is a tough recovery, but the results are really fantastic. You might want to check into the band to sleeve revision group off the main page. Good luck!

I have a history of cancer, my oncologist and surgeon both agreed the sleeve was the best route for me because the band leaves a foreign object in the body and there can be slippage and erosion, etc. My surgeon no longer does lapbands, but he is doing many revisions. In addition, they both agreed gastric bypass was not suitable to my health due to the malabsorption issues. So the sleeve it was..

Revised Banana Message:

I had my band out separately, before being sleeved, so my experience may not be the same as someone doing the revision in one surgery. After having the band in, recovery was pretty easy though i had some gas pains, and my port bothered me. But the port bothered me until it was removed. Removal of the band was done as an emergency surgery, but the recovery was very easy. Again, the port incision (from removal) was the worst spot, and i lamented the new scars on my recently tucked tummy. But i was able to eat broth more easily than i had eaten anything in 2 months, and the hardest part was staying out of the gym for a month. Getting sleeved was actually easier on my than having the band out, but that was probably because i had been in pain and unable to eat sufficiently for 2 months prior to the removal. I was up trotting the halls the evening i was sleeved, and have had an amazing recovery. Feel so much better than i did at any point during the 17 months of being banded.

I have thought about the same thing and often. I'm at a loss. I don't won't to ever lose my band because I've had tremendous success with it. But, the thought of having it without insurance coverage to adequately care for it terrifies me. I see a lot of self pay people and people who've lost their coverage who talk about going years without a check because they can't afford it. When they finally go back in, they have bad complications and slips because of poor after care. After care with the band is crucial. I'm not sure what I'll do I'd I lose coverage for it. Do I get it removed? Revise to the Sleeve? I honestly don't know. I only know it would force me to make some really hard decisions.

I've said all along, that I wouldn't have a revision if I lost my band. But now? I don't even know what the sleeve would be like after plication. Or if it's even possible. I have a lot to address with my doctor at my next visit. I want his take on the whole health insurance issue, and if there might be a way around it. A big question in my mind is, if new insurance is supposed to cover pre-existing conditions, would our surgeries be covered under that caveat? If we had a serious complication that required removal of the band, wouldn't that be considered "pre-existing"? Geez……so much to think about. I don't know that we'll get definitive answers, either. Last night……as I lay awake at 3am…..Thanksgiving sugar cursing through my veins, I was having a bit of meltdown on this. I really did a number on myself with all the possibilities, in addition to wondering how the hell I let myself eat too much crap. Okay…..it was a holiday…..I'm moving on

I just started my new job a little over 90 days ago. My company is huge (over 4,000 employees in 130 countries). They are a Self-funded Insurance with a third party administrator. We use MultiPlan as our provider and Allied Benefit as the administrator. (At least I think this is how it goes....lol) In my Offer Package was a copy of the "Medical Benefits Plan Schedule of Covered Expenses". On this sheet, the coverage reads: "Surgery or treatment for MORBID OBESITY only if the covered person is twice his/her ideal weight or greater than 100 lbs overweight and suffers from documented seperate conditions (i.e., severe diabetes, mellitus, hypertension, cardiovascular complications, obstructive sleep apnea, hypertriglyceridemia, amenorrhea, hypercholesterolemia, degenerative joint disease, & athralgia of other weight bearing joints which are aggravated by morbid obesity). This must be documented by objective evidence provided by the physician who is treating the covered person for the condition that is aggravated by morbid obesity. This does not include gastric bypass surgery (i.e., "stomach stapling")." In-Network: 100% ($25 co-pay if outpatient) :tongue: Well, I recieved another copy of this stated coverage in my New Employee Orientation....so I ASSUMED that Lap Band would be covered. So I started my journey. (Now keep in mind, this is all x2 since my DH was planning on having surgery with me.) I began researching the area doctors, and found this site. I saw my PC and told him I wanted the surgery - he agreed and approves of the procedure and sends out the referral. $25 I asked him for current blood work - he sent me. $?? I sought out a psychiatrist for the Evaluation - found one, had her 3 required visits and "passed" the evaluation. $75 Now I have completed the "hoops" for the surgeon and was waiting for my appt. with him. So, now I am sitting at work daydreaming about the surgery and think that I will be nice and try to keep the ball rolling at the unbelievable pace that it is and send a note over to the surgeons office (as I was told I could do to help expedite the paperwork) that says my insurance doesn't require the diet history/supervised diet. :wink: I decide to send a copy of this "Schedule of Covered Expenses" along with the letter. I go to the website the website that I can print my coverage info from and print a copy of the schedule that is posted on their website and get the shock of my life when I re-read it and find out the VERY LAST SENTENCE in the coverage has changed!!!! Instead of reading that gastric bypass is the only thing not covered, it now reads: "Note the term "treatment" does not include any surgical procedures - see General Limitation, item #17". #17 - This policy does not pay for instruction or activities for weight reduction or weight control, including charges for Vitamins, diet supplements, or physical fitness programs even if the services are performed or prescribed by a Physician; for any surgery performed for the purpose of weight reduction. WOW!!! What a shocker!!! The page that says no surgery is covered says Revised 1/06 on the bottom - the other pages I have don't have anything written on the bottom! So, first things first - I head straight to my HR department. They have no idea, so I am walking them through the details step by step. They tell me they will get back with me. :wink: She comes back a little while later and tells me that she called someone (within the company) and was told that they would reimburse me for my costs of preparing for the surgery, but that surgery isn't covered. The page printed from the internet is correct :eek:!!!! I called the insurance company and talked to a lady who was very helpful - she told me that I could send a letter to the medical review board and that I needed: 1 - Letter from surgeon 2 - Current and reccomended weight 3 - CPT codes and the fee for each procedure 4 - 6 month supervised diet They didn't even ask about BMI, co-morbidities, etc. My head is just spinning!! Is this a positive sign or a so-called death sentence?? I don't know what to do. I don't want to take the reimbursement and then them say "well, since we reimbursed you, it was like you agreeing that there is no surgery" or something screwed up like that. Sorry for making this so long, but I am just on a roller coaster about all this. Any input would be greatly appreciated. I don't even know if I should try. :frown:

I had the glue for my original surgery. When I had to have a port revision last week he did both. He cut out my old port scar and sewed me back together. He used stitches for that, but then put the glue on top. He said the stitches would eventually disolve.

I've struggled with my weight all my life. I turned 40 and was still overweight after saying I didn't want to be overweight when I hit 40. Finally had enough with high blood pressure meds and getting even bigger but so afraid of re-routing my organs. I remember seeing the commercials for it and I kept saying if there were something less evasive I would go for it...then saw an add for lapband. I went for it just before my 42 birthday. Well 6 years and a revision to a bigger band, a really bad prolaps and emergency surgery to take the band out...I was done and figured I was going to be overweight but, at least feel good. Well the big 50 is around the corner, the weight started coming back on again because the band was gone and I finally said....I just need to do this. The medical world has gained 6 more years of experience performing the RNY surgery and taking care of patients and it's become so much safer - I'M GOING FOR IT! I need help to help me stick to eating right and getting healthier. So......I want to be healthier for my 50th birthday! Started the process back up last year with the same surgeon that did my lapband but, discovered that was part of the problem...he didn't listen to me. So after going through hoops and being left on my own with them, I changed bariatric centers and started again. TOTALLY different experience and I couldn't be happier with my surgeon and the bariatric center she works in. I'm down over 40 pounds - it's coming off slow but, I know that's how my body works but, at least it's coming off and coming off healthily because I'm following the rules. The best part is I'm no longer gaining so to me that's worth it all!

Hello everyone. I am guilty as charged for not keeping up on the forums. Life gets in the way. So I have just found out that I have a slipped band. I started having minor issues about 7 months ago, able to eat maybe one bite then nothing at all for days. It was all very weird. Since my band I have had a love/hate relationship with my band and have on occasion wished the thing was gone. But now that I am faced with the real possibility of having it removed I am scared. I have had success with the band (and total non-successful days) but have currently gained weight back (due to a total unfil). My choices are to remove, replace or revise to a sleeve.... Because of my slip, I am on major reflux medication and diagnosed with gastroparesis. I wanted the band over other WLS because of the reversible aspect. But I am finding out that it is not so. I have major scar tissue. I didnt want to my stomach to be cut and removed, but it is looking as though my stomach will have to be cleaned up when I go in for surgery. I have yet to make my decision. Have any other May 2009 bandster made a switch?

I was first considering the band as my insurance did not cover the sleeve and it was not talked about much during my seminar. Since I had to do 6 months with a PCP first it was a while before I met with the surgeon. He suggested the sleeve over the band and I am so happy he did. I weighed 232 at my first doctor appointment, I was sleeved Dec 1st. After surgery I weighed 224 lbs. Today I was 179.9. I could not have had this success with the band. I don't have to worry abouts fills, slippage, rejection, breakage, food restrictions. Look over some of the postings from Tiffykins-she had a lap band to sleeve revision. My husband is so impress he is in his approval stage and hope to be sleeved sometime this spring. I have no regrets in removing a huge portion of my stomach.

This kinda reminds m of my experience. I am now in the process of lapband to sleeve revision. I had to have the psych visit for my band and during my eval my moms calls and tells me she is at the hospital with "brian". Which is my sons name...oh and my cousin. Well i thought she meant my son. And was like omg, is he ok, what happened..and was crying. Then my mom realizes my reaction and tells me it was my cousin. I didn't jump up turn furniture over or run in traffic...and the doc tells me that i overrracted?!?!? Ummm i thought my kid just got hit by a car?? He didn't hold up my progress but told me i needed o get with my pcp for meds and he never followed up. I don't think one person who meets you for an hour should have that much power!!!

Did they repair your hernia with the revision was is big? Did they use mesh of some sorts?

I was diagnosed with a slip and waited almost two years before having revision surgery. I don't know, I guess I hoped it would fix itself? I have to say, even though I'm just five days out from revision surgery, having my band fixed is amazing. I feel so much better and eating goes SO much more smoothly. Don't hesitate with that slipped band, have it fixed. You will be happy you did.

Hi there Cath, I see you posted this a while back and no one has replied to you so I thought I would. I had to have a lap band revision done (surgery) because my band had slipped big time. I had a massive pouch hanging over the top of the band. The surgeon asked to operate on me ASAP once it had been diagnosed because he was worried it might twist and cause all sorts of serious compications or problems. So I went back in to have the band re done. I had the original op in August 2008. It was certainly not a success overnight and I had to work hard to lose the weight but I managed to lose some. I then got a piece of tofu stuck in my band and had to see my surgeon on a weekend to have the band emptied completely to clear the blockage. I then had 4 mls put in over the next week and we went travelling through Europe for 13 weeks. Unfortunately my band was so tight (we hadn't been able to adjust it as finely as it needed to be, due to only having one week for fills prior to leaving for Europe) I vomitted for most of the time I was in Europe. I lived off Soup and couldn't really eat any food, even yoghurt with lumps of fruit in it wouldn't pass through. Eventually when we had been about 10 weeks into the holiday I decided I had, had enough and fronted up to a French hospital where the Fluid was removed. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I had my next band op in Sept 2009. I kept going in for fills and nothing seemed to be working. I wasn't feeling any restriction and had a barium swallow which showed all the food passing straight through. The Dr was reluctant to fill the band up too much because of my 'band history'. I gave up and just thought it was one big failure. We had gone from too tight to too loose. I then saw one of the other Drs one day and she suggested that maybe I had, had a larger band put in. After reading the surgery records she realised this was the case but it had not been reported to the Bariatric centre Drs by the surgeon. A very poor incident indeed and terrible communication between surgeon and the follow up Drs. I was furious to say the least......this wasn't discovered until about 18 months after my second lot of surgery. Anyway, after discovering this, they increased my fill volume and my band is now working perfectly. It is working so much better than the first one and I am losing weight. I have lost about 14 kgs so far and working hard to lose some more. So from my point of view the second time around was a nightmare to begin with but about 20 months later it is all finally falling into place. I think we just have to be patient and work out how our band will work the best for us. You did so well losing 45 kgs.....can't wait till I've lost that amount!!! I'm sure you can do it again and then maintain it! Think positively. I have had the worst time with the whole lap band experience. It has been like a bad joke but finally it is working in my favour!! Good luck to you and I would love to know how it is going second time around for you. Sorry about the essay I have written.

Hey cc....just don't let the weight loss overshadow the issues you are having. I have a freind who was so thrilled with the rapid weight loss that she was too tight and stayed that way. She wound up with a revision and still has problems a year later. I don't want that to happen to you...OK?

I'm in the process of setting up port revision surgery for this very reason. Mine is at my waistline, a tiny bit to the left of my belly button. It was fine in the beginning, but after dropping 70 pounds, it's too close to the surface. It's bothersome when I lean up against something, and the waist of my pants digs into it, etc. My doc said that he'll move it to the underside of the muscle, and possibly use a low profile port. Apparently, this is pretty common once all the weight comes off.

Hi! I am also 5'11, my high weight was 460. I lost about 50 pre-op, and almost another 100 post op. But I plateaued and then started to regain. I had my surgery in 2012. I'm also having some complications now, I go see a surgeon tomorrow and may be revising to DS. The sleeve was an amazing tool and it really is my fault that I didn't continue to lose with it. I fell wayyyy off post-op diet and then got pregnant. I'm currently still well below where I started at 460, but I want to lose more and since my complication will likely require surgery, I may go for DS as well so I can get back on the losing track! I opted for sleeve initially because I felt it was the best of my options and I knew there was the option to revise to DS if needed. Personally, I would recommend starting with a sleeve as post-op DS is a bit more intense because of the malapsorptive effect it has.

As a person revising from lap band to the sleeve, I wouldn't necessarily recommend the lap band. It seems as though some people have great success (and I did for 18 months) but it is slow and the long-term failure rate is pretty high. That said, I am certain you will consider all of the factors and make the right decision for you, even if it is lapband.

I'm glad you're doing well! How was your recovery? I had the lap band in 2009 and that recovery was easy. I must say I'm really nervous at times. What kept you motivated to go through with this? Where did you have your surgery? I had my band at North Suburban. My revision will be in Eau Claire, and I'm a little nervous because my surgeon has only done 10 revisions. Lots of sleeves, but not many revisions. I can't wait to be back in Colorado! It sucks here!! My one and only munchkin is 5. We're hoping to move back to Arvada, but that all depends on where my job will be. I'm so glad I found this thread! Hope to talk to you soon! Katherine

I am scheduled for a revision from band to sleeve with Dr. Wilhelmy in a few weeks, I am happy to read all the positive feedback. I will share my experience when I get back.